Okay, i know at one point it got really crappy in this chapter but i think it has a good ending. only just after i finished chapter one did i realise that i somehow named JJ's bro and sis-in-law after sam and molly from ghost. just realised that lol. didn't mean too. thanks for the reviews. hope you all like so enjoy!
For JJ, a two hour plane ride and a one hour drive was bad enough especially when it was early in the morning, before four am, dark outside her rented SUV and her brother was in the ICU after bring in a car accident. The old movie theatres, parks, schools and buildings all flashed passed JJ as she sped well over the limit to pull up into the East Alleghany Hospital parking lot. Thankfully, the levels of activity for the ladies at the front reception desk was low, no ambulances bringing victims in that needed emergency surgery or were just minutes from dying.
"Hi, I-," started JJ, keys in hands, eyes red and puffy and the bags under them were only getting bigger. The nurse at the desk was on the phone and held her hand up to silence JJ.
"I'm looking for my brother," JJ tried again, hitting the palms of her hands onto the counter to get her attention.
"Wait," said the nurse, providing JJ with a very good impersonation of what Strauss looked like without her face on, which was supposed to be a greasy look. JJ huffed angrily and made her way to the elevator much to the annoyance of the nurse.
The Intensive Care Unit was on the third floor, the only problem being, visitors needed to be let into the ward. You were not allowed to just waltz in there. The doors were locked and you had to ring the nurses' station within the ward to gain access, no matter how powerful you are. It took several minutes of light arguing with the doctor who had come to the doors to open it up.
"Please," begged JJ. "He's my brother. I need to see him. I was told he's been asking for me."
"You're Sam Jareau's sister? I need some identification to let you in, and no weapons," he said, giving in and pointing to the gun that was holstered at her side. "I'm your brother's doctor, Dr Adams."
JJ pulled out her FBI identification and gave it to him before pulling her 9mm automatic out, releasing the magazine and handing them all separately to him.
"How is he?" whispered JJ, pushing into the ward. Everything was more sterile and a lot quieter. The beeping of heart beats and machines and the slow functions of respirators could be heard from the far end of the hall.
"Not good. There is a chance that he will die," said Dr Adams, running his hands over his hair, pushing it up.
"What are the chances he'll live?"asked JJ, as they rounded the corner of the nurses' station and ended up right at Sam's door.
"15. I'm sorry," said Dr Adams, sincerity flowing through his words. Just as JJ went to walk into her brother's room, a hand on her arm stopped her. "There is another matter. He signed rather shakily, a D.N.R. We can't legally resuscitate him. So if anything happens while you're in there, again I'm sorry. There is a piece of paper on his tray for you with instructions about something."
"Thanks," said JJ, watching his back as he walked away.
Here she was. Jennifer Jareau. FBI Communications Liaison, who had to look at gory crime scene photos of the work of serial killers or arsonists, rapists and the results of hate crimes day in and day out, even when they weren't working a case. She could handle all that as long as she got a beer at the end of the day and had Emily around, but walking into her brother's ICU hospital room while he had a 15 chance of living she could not.
ICU rooms didn't have doors, they had curtains in case they had to when a patient out in a hurry in order to save their lives. So there went JJ, slipping through the curtains to see Samuel Jonathan Jareau with his eyes flickering open and shut closely on the fine line of awareness and darkness. Cut's marred his once smooth skin and large bandages covered most of his upper torso.
"Sammy," whispered JJ, walking to her brother's side.
"J," hissed Sam in pain. His words were halfway between mouthing and talking as if he was just beginning to reclaim his voice after losing it to a cold. "You came."
"Of course I did. You're in the hospital and I love you. Why wouldn't I?" smiled JJ, hearing him talk to her.
"I love you, too, sis. Read-read the paper," was barely audible, JJ wiped her eyes and picked up the paper from his little wheelie table.
"Sam, this-are you serious?" asked a shocked JJ. "This is instructions for your will, Sam. I can't. You'll be fine."
"You have to. Please do it for me. Call the number on the bottom and talk to the g-guy," said Sam, machines beginning to beep for different things. "Tell C.J, I love him."
"Sam!" said JJ, in angry sobs. A nurse rushed in only to stop and remember the Do Not Resuscitate form that the patient had signed. JJ's hand covered her mouth in disbelief as she began to break down in the hospital room. The nurse silently turned off the machines that had been supporting the former Samuel Jonathan Jareau. Half an hour later, once the shock had set in, Dr Adams had personally escorted JJ to her car and handed her, her weapon and badge as she began the short drive to her parent's house, all on auto pilot.
She hadn't been there in a while, since last Christmas at least, so she knocked instead of using her key. JJ couldn't think straight. It was five am as she heavily and tiredly knocked forcefully on her parent's front door of her childhood home. She had been up for twenty-four hours straight and with the emotional baggage the blonde now had to carry, she was beyond exhausted. Her father, John, answered angrily several minutes later with her mother behind him cautiously. He was pissed for being woken up so early. "What?!?"
"Jennifer," he said, pulling his daughter into his arms for a bear hug.
Next was her mother who exclaimed with a small bout of happiness, "Sam will be so happy you're here. He's been asking for you." JJ had to physically bit back tears before she answered her mother.
"I've already seen. I went straight to the hospital after my flight landed. Did you know he signed a D.N.R? And he has a will in his and Molly's name? He flat-lined while I was there and the nurse came in and turned the machines off. He's gone, mum," whispered JJ, furious at her brother for giving up like that. Sandra simply collapsed and if it weren't for JJ, she would've hurt herself and her decent to their hardwood floored hallway was at least controlled. John went to the couch in grief after pulling his wife to him.
JJ was already cried out so she could do no more except sit in the guest bedroom that had once been hers. But she was shocked to find it already occupied. Her little nephew was wriggling around in his crib with a security blanket covering his legs, looking like his father so much already.
"Hey, little man," said JJ, brushing the soft hair of the bouncing baby boy, completely oblivious to the recent events. "Daddy wanted me to tell you that he loves you. So does mummy and they always will no matter what happens."
Because she didn't want really disturb Charlie, she was fortunate enough that her parents had another guest room besides Sam's old room. JJ hesitantly set her things down near the door, ready to curl up under the covers to sleep, to feel safe. But as tired as she was, she couldn't sleep so she pulled out her phone and dialled the number of the one person who she needed completely.
On the second ring, Emily Prentiss picked up with her traditional 'Prentiss' expecting and hoping it was someone from the Bureau calling her back to work or from Strauss saying she was behind in her paperwork. She didn't expect it to JJ so soon.
"JJ. Hey, how are you?" she asked, straightening her back from her position on her over-stuffed couch as she became more alert the conversation she was having.
"Okay, I guess," she answered. There was a long awkward pause before she answered. "Not really. You remember when I said at the airport that you should spend the holidays with your parents? That I was okay to come home by myself?"
"Yeah," said Emily, encouraging JJ to keep going. The voice of the woman she had been secretly pining over for the past year or so, the voice that was always so full of life and compassion and whatever emotion needed to be shown, was flat, none of the spark evident in the smooth tones.
"I lied. I need you, here," said JJ. "I know you should go home, but probably don't want to, knowing your relationship with your mother. Sam's gone."
"Oh, sweety. I'm so, so sorry. What's the address? I'll change my flight at the airport," said Emily, sympathy coming out in her voice. As JJ relayed the address, the brunette shrugged her coat on, the driver her mother had organised ready to pick her up. Emily couldn't wait to have JJ in her arms, sighing at the reason behind being able to hold JJ. "I'll be there in a few hours. Be safe, Jayj."
"You too, Em," said JJ, snapping her phone shut as she heard the small, shrill cries of Charlie. Making her way into the child's room, she stared at him for a few moments straight, as if she didn't understand what it was he was crying about. Shaking off her daydreams and reminders of Sam, she bundled the little boy into his blanket and took him from the firm squishiness of his mattress. JJ held him close and silently promised Sam and Molly that she would do the best to take care of Charlie.